The Panama Canal will scale back the number of vessels allowed through its locks next month as water availability remains under pressure.
From September 3, the Neopanamax locks will offer nine transit slots a day, while the Panamax locks will have 25.
The Panamax figure will fall to 23 daily slots from September 15.
The latest move follows lower-than-expected rainfall in the canal watershed. The authority said conditions remained challenging even with the rainy season underway and water-saving measures in place.
The canal will also introduce a new structure for its daily auction slots, separating vessels into four cargo categories. LNG and LPG will form one group, followed by dry bulk and general cargo, container and RoRo vessels, and chemical, crude and product tankers.
The changes are designed to spread available booking capacity across different shipping segments and improve water-use efficiency.
With fewer slots available, vessels arriving without reservations could experience longer waiting times. The canal is encouraging operators to secure bookings in advance, saying a confirmed reservation is the only way to guarantee a transit date.
The authority has also delayed two planned draft adjustments for Neopanamax vessels. The 14.63-metre (48-foot) limit will now take effect on September 2, while the subsequent 14.48-metre (47.5-foot) limit has been pushed back to October 1.
The canal said it will continue tracking rainfall, water inflows and lake levels and could introduce further changes if conditions deteriorate.
